Grammy's Secret

My Grammy was a very wise woman. She only had an 8th grade education, but she was one of the wisest women I have ever met. I would sit near her when she was baking or ironing and take in her wisdom like a sponge.

I can remember one of our talks on the eve of my wedding day. She told me that the secret to a strong and happy marriage was to give more than you ever expected to receive. Service was the ultimate love language and if you put other people's needs ahead of your own, you will reap rewards beyond your imagination. Something wonderful happens in your heart when you give, she would say, and when you receive something from someone out of service and love, your heart wants to give back. This is the power of reciprocity. The Pay it Forward movie was about that.

She was right, and not just for marriage relationships. We live in such an entitlement culture that sometimes we forget that giving is the secret to receiving. To take money out of a bank account, you first have to deposit money. It's no different with relationships. Give in service to the relationship bank and then you can withdraw from it when you need to in the future.

The vision for the Redwood Sisterhood has always been to create a true support community, women helping other women. So, in keeping with the spirit of reciprocity, we will be starting a new 'time bank' service. It will be our national service skill swapping program. Exciting details to follow!